How To Use A Journal To Point You to Christ

by Jonathan Pless

What comes to mind when someone mentions journaling? When I was younger, I thought journaling was something only girls did. You know, with their pink, locked, glitter-infused diaries, flooded with colored ink? The idea of journaling or having a “diary” was unfathomable to me and my peers for most of my childhood. It wasn’t until around the age of 12 I got over others’ opinions and started journaling. I do not recall the reason I began a journal, but I’m glad I finally did.  

I’ve journaled off and on for about 13 years. There have been times I’ve written daily. Other times when nearly a year has passed between entries. I have some ideas about why this is, but we’ll get to those below. For now, I’d like to do my best to persuade you to start a journal.

How can a journal benefit me?  

Journaling can take on several different forms. There have been notable individuals in the past  (Lewis and Clark, Theodore Roosevelt, Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, to name some favorites) who journaled daily. Others may opt to be more sporadic and write only when they encounter high stress or difficult decisions in life. Still, others may like to simply keep a record of prayer requests and praises. Whatever form your journal takes, I would argue that it is important to begin.  

The first benefit of journaling is that by doing so, you are forming a record of your life. My suggestion to someone wanting to begin a journal is to start out by writing about their day. Some days will be pretty routine, but other days may have a problem that requires more in-depth thinking and writing.  Either way, just write what comes naturally to you. Some entries can be as short as one sentence. One notable journal entry I’ve come across was written by Teddy Roosevelt. Instead of spending several pages outlining his grief on the day both his wife and mother died, he only penned: “The light has gone out of my life.” 

The second benefit of journaling is that it can relieve stress. Writing out the day’s events and life events (both good and bad) allows one to name and observe feelings. By writing, we move our thoughts and feelings from our own heads and hearts onto a physical page. On this page, we can then pause, consider, ponder, and observe our feelings and thoughts in unique ways. I’ve found I unload much tension and cloudiness in my head when I write down my thoughts. It also serves to help us “take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

While journaling can be beneficial and even cathartic, we as followers of Christ need to be aware of some potential dangers with journaling. After all, a journal is in general all about Self. James Pennebaker is a psychologist who has spent his career researching the power of writing in helping people sort through problems. Pennebaker says: in journaling daily “[you] risk getting  into a sort of navel-gazing or cycle of self-pity.”  

Our enemy, Satan, would love nothing better than to distract us from Christ and His church. One primary tool Satan uses is our pride, which is our natural disposition toward Self. Pride is the root of most, if not all,  sin. John Owen correctly states, “Be killing sin or it will be killing you.” We must be careful not to get caught up in ourselves when journaling. Instead, we can use journaling as a tool to redirect our gaze to our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

One trick to not get stuck in the “me” cycle is to ask “what” questions instead of “why”  questions. Rather than beginning self-pity by asking “why,” instead try to use your journal as a problem solver. Ask “what” questions. Figure out “what” I can do to get to the bottom of a  problem. Don’t repeatedly ask, “Why me?”.  

I’ve found seasons of life will change the frequency of journaling. In this season, I write in my journal when I think it would be helpful. If I’ve got a high-stress ordeal that’s causing me a lot of emotional turmoil, I’ll open my journal and try to untangle things by asking and answering some “what” questions. When I’m done I usually don’t need to keep journaling about that topic and walk away much more at ease.  

How can a journal benefit others?  

Proverbs 4 talks about gaining wisdom. Its words stress intentionality and alertness: 

“My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. . . . Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot  from evil.” Proverbs 4:20-23; 25-26 

We are forgetful people. Both in remembering our own lives, but also in remembering and beholding God’s grace he gives us every day. One of the greatest joys of keeping a journal is to flip back over hundreds of pages to reminisce and ponder where I’ve come from. I love to recall and remind myself of how the Lord has worked in my life (despite me). Recording trials while in them eventually enables me to praise my Lord more. Hindsight should cause a thankful heart. As we process and reflect on God’s grace through our day-to-day lives, we are more ready to tell our family, friends, and neighbors about the good things He has done for us. 

Read Proverbs 4 again. Journaling can be an extremely powerful reminder of God’s work in a believer’s life. We hopefully see a process of sanctification (the slow and steady progression in a believer’s life of becoming like Christ) as the pages are filled. Journaling can help us pay attention and keep wisdom as a primary thought. It can also be used as a way to guard our hearts as we look into our inner being. We should be paying attention to what our hearts are longing for and consciously submitting it to God.  

Journaling should ultimately remind us of the gospel message. As we write down the good, bad, and ugly of our troubles, thoughts, and emotions, we have the opportunity to examine them in light of the good news of Jesus. Journaling is a tool we can use to examine our hearts, ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom, and apply the gospel to our everyday lives.

“Gospel” means “good news.”  The good news involves bad people (sinners) receiving a perfect redeemer to pay our sin debt. Sin is the transgression of the law of God (1 John 3:4) and rebellion against God. We all have sinned against God (Romans 3:23), and the Bible describes death as the necessary payment for sin (Romans  6:23). But God in His mercy provided a redeemer, Jesus Christ. Jesus became a man, lived a perfect life, died a sinner’s death, and rose again from the dead. Jesus paid our debt for us in order that we may live forever with Him. He offers this redemption as a free gift received by faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). First, we must hear the gospel—the good news of Jesus’s death and resurrection (Ephesians 1:13). Then, we must believe—fully trust the Lord Jesus (Romans 1:16). This involves repentance, a changing of mind about sin and Christ (Acts 3:19), and calling on the name of the Lord (Romans 10:9-10; 13).

Start a journal today. Pick out a simple paper journal or word processor and begin. If you already have a journal but haven’t written in it in a while, write an entry today. Record your life. Record all the Lord is doing. Examine your life in the light of the gospel. Future generations will be able to recall with you the grace and blessings you live in now. Use your journal as a tool to bring glory to our Savior.